Three component package having at least two components formed of vacuum molded plastic film

ABSTRACT

A package having three or more components is held together by multi-duty undercut in the middle component which must be made of relatively thin material. Thus, the undercut in the middle receptacle component serves both as part of cover snap means and as retainer for bottom-most component. Corner initiated rips in an article-receiving cavity are virtually eliminated by a novel indentation at the corners of the cavity.

United States Patent 11 1 Moren 110 3,744,663 1 1 July,l0, 1973 1 THREECOMPONENT PACKAGE HAVING AT LEAST TWO COMPONENTS FORMED OF VACUUM MOLDEDPLASTIC FILM [75] Inventor: Robert A. Moren, Mount Prospect,

Ill.

[73] Assignee: Plastofilm, Inc., Wheaton, Ill.

[22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 852,040

521 US. :1. 220/4 1), 206/4519, 260/4534, 217/265, 220/60 R, 229/15 5111111. c1... B650 11/10, 865d 43/10, 865d 21/00 581 Field 61 Search;206/4534, 78 B, 206/65, 65 A, 78 R, 45.19; 220/4, 4 E, 4 1),

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1962 Ringlcn 220/602,287,610 6/1942 Guidry 229/15 3,463,309 I 8/ 1969 Szostck 206/78 B2,931,493 4/l960 Pfohl 206/78 B 2,893,546 7/1959 Kendall et ali.....

2,563,157 8/1951 Castelli 206/4534 UX 2,107,239 2/1938 Eckhoff 206/ 1.8

Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney-Darbo, Robertson andVandenburgh [5 7 ABSTRACT A package having three or more components isheld together by multi-duty undercut in the middle component which mustbe made of relatively thin material. Thus, the undercut in the middlereceptacle component serves both as part of cover snap means and asretainer for bottom-most component.

Corner initiated rips in an article-receiving cavity are virtuallyeliminated by a novel indentation at the corners of the cavity.

, 7 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTED W 3.744.663

saw 1M3 FFIGiZ FIG. 3

//v VE/V T0}? 35 ROBERTA: MORE/V A fiW By A fforneys PAIENIED 3.744.663

sum 3 or 3 lNVE/VTOR 7 ROBERT A. MORE/V A rlorneys PR/Ol? ART THREECOMPONENT PACKAGE HAVING AT LEAST TWO COMPONENTS FORMED OF VACUUM MOLDEDPLASTIC FILM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Two component packages, forexample, a package including a cover portion and an article-receivingportion are well known. These are commonly fabricated using well-knownvacuum thermoforming techniques, for example. It is highly desirable toprovide packages comprising three or more components to receive two ormore strata of articles therein. For example, it is desirable to providea package for receiving a pluarlity of vials of medicine, which packagealso retains instructional material such a display card or dosage table,and the like, in such a manner that it is least likely that theinstructional material will be misplaced. It is also highly desirable toprovide packaging means for enclosing, for shipping, for example, a setof dissimilar articles, for example, vials of drugs and disposablehypodermic syringe outfits. It is an object of this invention to providepackage means for receiving a plurality of strata of dissimilararticles. It is a further object of this invention to provide such meanswhich can be made by thermoforming techniques, for example.

Another difficulty commonly encountered in packaging of snugly-receivedarticles is the liklihood that a rip or tear will initiate at corners ofthe article-receiving cavity. It is an object of this invention toprovide plastic filmpackages, for example, in which the problem ofcorner tear is virtually eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention a package forenclosing two or more strata of articles, said package consisting ofthree or more components is integrated and held together by means ofmulti-duty offsets. Thus, in accordance with this invention, offsets ina relatively thin middle component serve not only as part socket of thesnap means for a cover component, but also serve as retainers for acomponent positioned on the other side of the middle component.

This invention also provides article-receiving cavities which are notlikely to rip at the corners thereof even though made of relatively thinplastic, forexample, which have smoothly curved indents positioned atthe junction of cavity walls.

DESIGNATION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4A is an enlargedfragmentary cross-sectional view as in FIG. 4, showing an alternativedetent structure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective, partially cut-away view of an alternativepackage in accordance with this invention. FIG. 6 is an explodedperspective view showing the three components making up the package ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the package illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takenapproximately along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the package illustrated in FIG. 1, after.vials are loaded therein, being shown with the package cover removedtherefrom.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 having thecover removed therefrom. I

' FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the detail of thecorner construction of the articlereceiving wells.

FIGS. 12 through 17 are diagrammatic views illustrating the function ofthe improved corners of this invention.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view of a portion of anarticle-receiving cavity in accordanc with the prior art.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately alongthe line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing one end of anarticle-receiving cavity as it appears in the upper left of componentillustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately alongthe line 15-l5 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged diagrammatic plan view showing the mouth of thearticle illustrated in FIG. 14 except that the mouth is shownmomentarily widened as upon partial removal of an article: from thecavity.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentarycross-sectional view takenapproximately along the line l7--l7 of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS '23 or 24. Lower-most component23 is a card on which can be printed essential disclosure informationrelative to the particular articles packaged in container 20. Component24, on the other hand, is an articlereceiving receptacle-type componentfor holding articles which are used in conjunction with the articlespackaged in middle component 22'. Thus, FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate afirst preferred embodiment and FIGS. 5 through 8 illustrate the secondpreferred embodiment.

Covers, 21, 21' are shown fabricated from a transparent plastic sheet,and include a generally flat topsurface 27, 27' and sidewalls 28, 28. Atthe lower end of upright sidewalls 28, 28 are steps 30, 30' formed byoutwardly projecting planar portions 31, 31' and additional uprightside-walls 33, 33'. Sidewalls 33, 33' terminate at outwardlyextendingplanar flange 35, 35'. Cover offsets 37, 37 in the sidewalls form inwardprojections which serve as part of the cover snap means for retainingthe cover over middle component 22, 22'.

Middle component 22 includes a relatively planar face portion 40, 40',having sidewalls 42, 42' peripherally dependent-therefrom. Sidewalls28,- 28', and 42, 42' taper downwardly and outwardly. It is -notedthatsidewalls 42, 42' mate with, or closely abut, sidewalls 21, 21',respectively. Sidewalls 42, 42' terminate at steps 45, 45 which includeoutwardly extending planar 37, 37 so that the inward projections of thelatter are received in the external sockets of the former.

It is preferred that flange 51, 51' include recess 57, 57 to facilitatemanual grasping of flange 35.

Article-receiving members, generally 60, 60, also depend from faceportions 40, 40'. Article-receiving members, generally 60, 60' are shownto be generally arcuate in transverse cross-section to snugly receivecylindrical vials 61 which have round sidewalls 63 and flat ends 64.Consequently, article-receiving members 60, 60' are shaped to includesubstantially circular sidewalls 65, 65' and flat end walls 66, 66'.Circular sidewalls 65, 65 are proportioned to closely receive vials 61therein. Moreover, the center of curvature of the curved sidewalls 65,65is slightly below the level of face portions 40, 40'. Thus, sidewalls65, 65 are wider slightly below mouths 68, 68 than at mouths 68,68. Theresilience of the plastic sheet material permits vial 61 to be pressed,or snapped into article-receiving members 60, 60, to facilitate firmretention of vials 61 in receptacle 22. Also, in accordance with a morepreferred embodiment of this invention, planar portions 40, 40, includesrelatively small extensions 70, which extend over mouths 68, 68' in thesame plane as faces 40, 40' and which further facilitate retention ofvial 61 in article-receiving members 60, 60'.

It will be appreciated that, generally speaking, any solid article whichis being firmly retained due to pressure of the sidewalls in anarticle-receiving member manufactured from plastic or other film willcause substantial stresses at the junctions between adjacent sidewalls.In the illustrated embodiments these stresses are particularly great atthe junction of sidewalls 65, 65' with end walls 66, 66 in the regionbeginning at the widest portion of article retaining members 60, 60 andextending upwardly to mouths 68, 68.

FIGS. 12 through 17 are provided to illustrate the improvement. FIGS. 12and 13 illustrate the structures of the prior art. As the mouth haswidth equal to the dimension marked Y in FIGS. 12 and 13, it is narrowerthan the widest portion of the article-receiving member 60 which has thedimension indicated at X in FIGS. 12 and 13. Thus, when a vial 61,having an outer diameter equal to X is forced through mouth 70 having awidth equal to Y it is apparent that end wall 68 and face portion 40must stretch to permit passage of vial 61 through mouth 68. Thus, as thewidest portion (dimension X") of vial 61 passes through the relativelynarrow mouth, (dimension Y) tearing forces are exerted if end wall 68and face portion 40 can not stretch to the distance X. It has been foundthat tears are most likely to occur at the junction between adjacentsidewalls. In accordance with this invention, however, adjacent wallsare joined by smoothly curving indented section 75. Thus, in accordancewith this invention, the smoothly curving indented junction structure 75includes a curvature which extends more than 180 around an approximatecenter of curvature. In the illustrated embodiments, perhaps bestappreciated from a consideration of FIG. 10, the center of curvature ofjunction structure 75 is approximately at the point at which sidewallsand 66 would join were it not for the improved junction structure ofthis invention. It will be seen from the drawings of the illustratedembodiment that structure extends approximately 270 around the pointwhich might be considered an approximate center of curvature. It will befurther appreciated that every point on the junction structure liesoutside of the enclosure which is formed, or the enclosure which wouldhave been formed, by the straight extension of walls 65, 66. In theillustrated embodiments, the improved junction is provided only in theupper regions of sidewalls 65 and 66, namely, at and above the center ofcurvature of sidewalls 65. Sidewall 65 is somewhat cylindrical in naturehaving a center of curvature, or axis, which is parallel with respect toface 40 and which lies slightly below face 40, i.e., at a level nearthat but slightly above the level of bottom 77 of junction structure 75.As indicated above, it is at the junction of end wall 66 and sidewall 65in the narrowing region above the widest portion of sidewall 65 which issubjected to the greatest stress when vial 61 is snapped into orwithdrawn from article-receiving members 60, 60'. The structure inaccordance with this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 inwhich it is appreciated that the diameter of the indent junction 75 isgreat enough to extend junction structure 75 beyond the widest portionof the curve of sidewall 65. Thus, sidewall 76 extends outwardly awayfrom sidewall 65 smoothly curving around until it adjoins end wall 66more or less perpendicularly. Bottom 77 of indent junction structure 75thus rests at or below the center of curvature of sidewall 65. Thisenables the upper, narrowing portion of sidewall 65 to flex outwardly,the entire length or depth of junction member 75. As illustrated inFIGS. 16 and 17, as a snugly fitting article 61 is inserted into andwithdrawn from article-receiving members 60, 60', sidewalls 65, 65' canmove to the positions illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 without theinitiation of tears at junction structure 75. Thus, junction structure75 provides a certain amount of flexibility and spring action, inaddition to eliminating sharply pointed corners which serve as focalpoints for initiation of rips. This spring, or flexing characteristicfurther facilitates the retention of vial 61 in article-retainingmembers 60, 60'. As a result of incorporating junction structure 75 inaccordance with this invention, it is now possible to position the axisof curvature of sidewalls 65 considerably deeper than the level of faceportion 40 to develop greater flexing and more substantial snapping ofthe vials 61 into position. It has been heretofore considered essentialto position the center of curvature extremely close to the level of faceportion 40.

Article-receiving members having relatively straight flat sidewalls mayalso be fitted with the rip-eliminating junction structure 75 inaccordance with this invention. However, the improvement of thisinvention provides maximum benefits when used in conjunction with anarticle receiving members 60, 60' in which the mouths 68, 68' aresomewhat narrower than the widest portion of the article-receivingenclosure. It is essential that every portion of sidewall 76 be outsideof the region defined by adjacent sidewalls, or straight line extensionof adjacent side-walls. In this way junction structure 75, even thoughproviding for considerable spring action, does not interfere with orobstruct the region normally occupied by article 61.

As stated above, it is essential that the curvature of sidewalls 76extend at least 180 around an approximate center of curvature. It ispreferred, as illustrated in the drawings, that sidewall 76 extendapproximately 270 around the approximate center of curvature. It is alsonoted that the center of curvature or axis of sidewalls 76 issubstantially vertical, i.e., perpendicular to face 40, although it isnot essential that it be vertical.

The third component of the multi-component package in accordance withthis invention, card 23, or article-receiving component 24, ispositioned below article-receiving component middle 22 and is retainedin position by the inward projections formed by offsets 55, on middlecomponent 22, 22. In the illustrated embodiments card 23, for example, adisclosure information card for example, is retained in place by beingconfined between the inner face of planar surface 47 of the step and theinward projections defined by offsets 55. Thus, offset 55 serves as partof the cover snap means due to the fact that the socket at the outersurface is positioned to mate with the inner projections formed byoffsets 37 of cover 21, and moreover serves as card-retaining elementdue to the combination of dimensions of card 23 and the overalldimensioning of the article, particularly the space between the internalsurfaces of offsets 55 positioned on opposing sidewalls 49 of component22. It will be appreciated that card 23, when held in position in FIG.4, also defines an enclosedregion 79 between card 23 and under-surfaceof component 22. In a commercial embodiment, labels or other articlescan be included with the completed packaged product in region 79. Thephysician or pharmacist, passing the article into the hands of anultimate user, can elect to leave card 23 and the enclosed labels orother information securely attached, or completely remove theinformational material therefrom. It is preferred that card 23 beprovided with tab 80 which extends beyond indent 57, and facilitatesremoval of the card. To insert the card 23 with the tab 80 thereon itwill be necessary to bend the tab out of the plane of the card; or, withsome cards, the card will flex so that the central portion of the carddoes not lie in the same plane as the end portions where the engagementwith the projections of offsets 55 takes place. Tab 80 also provides areadily visible surface 82 upon which notice or other indicia can beprinted. Card 23 also serves as a stiffening member when positioned asillustrated in FIG. 4, and is not apt to be misplaced when cover 21 isopened and an article 61 removed.

In a second preferred embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 8, thelower component 24 is retained in position under component 22' byoffsets 55' in a structure similar in that respect to that illustratedin FIGS. 1 through 4. The third component 24 includes a bottom 85 andsidewalls 86 peripherally ascendant therefrom. Sidewalls dependperipherally from planar face portion 88 and terminate in an outwardlyextending flange 94. Offsets are positioned in sidewalls 90 in'alignmentwith offsets 55'. Offsets defineexternal sockets which 95 are positionedto mate with the inward projections or fingers defined by offsets 55' insidewalls 49' of component 22'. Thus, when snapped into the positionillustrated in FIG. 8, the lower component 24 and middle component 22'form an enclosed region therebetween.

It is most desirable that offsets which are mated in accordance withthis invention be positioned in close ing inwardly extending snap means;the receptacle proximity to the corners of the packages in accordancewith this invention. Thus, in the preferred embodiments illustrated, itis apparent that all offsets are positioned within the end quarters ofthe particular sides on which they are located.

As used herein, the term film package is intended to include anyassembly of three or more package compo- FIG. 4A illustrates analternative embodiment in Y which the middle component 22 has openingsin place of offsets 55. The inward projections formed by offsets 37extend through openings 105 to form the projections holding card 23 inplace.

ACHIEVEMENT Thus, in accordance with this invention the art is providedwith a package having three or more components, which package definestwo or more levels of en closures. The package utilizes multi-functionaloffsets in the sidewalls thereof. Packages in accordance with thisinvention are readily made by conventional vacuum, therrnoformingtechnique, for example. The preferred package of this invention.provides means for snugly receiving articles within enclosure membersformed of resilient plastic sheeting, and for virtually eliminating theinitiation of tears at the junction of adjacent sidewalls, even thoughthe article enclosure member be made of relatively thin film.

Therefore I claim:

1. A container including: a cover component, a receptacle component, anda bottom component; said cover component including a face andperipherally dependent sidewalls around said face, said sidewallshavcomponent having a first article-receiving member with a bottom andan open top, said receptacle component including a face from which saidmember depends and from which peripheral outwardly tapering receptaclesidewalls depend, said receptacle sidewalls including a stepped portionhaving an outwardly extending planar portion with downwardly andoutwardly extending sidewalls dependent therefrom, detent means in saidsidewalls of said receptacle component for receiving, mating, anddetaining said inwardly extending snap means in the cover component,said detent means and said snap means, when mating, including inwardlyreaching fingers extending inwardly from the inner surface of saidside-walls; the bottom component extending between opposed sides of thesidewalls of the receptacle component and engaging said inwardlyreaching fingers.

2. In a multi-part container including a cover component, a middlecomponent and! a lower component, with the cover and middle componentsdefining relatively upright side-walls, said cover component fitting onthe middle component to define an article receiving space therebetweenand with portions of the sidewalls of the upper component injuxtaposition to portions of the sidewalls of the middle component, saidlower component fitting to the bottom of the middle component withportions of the lower component in juxtaposition to said portions of themiddle component, the improvement comprising:

said portions of the middle component sidewalls having an offset thereinwhich defines socket conformations on a first side of said sidewallsthereof and projection conformations on the second side of saidsidewalls thereof, said portions of the cover component having firstmeans in juxtaposition to and mating with one of the conformations toreleasably resist separation of the cover and middle components, saidportions of the lower component having a second means in juxtapositionto and mating with the other of the conformations to releasably resistseparation of the lower and middle components.

3. In a multi-part container including a cover component, a middlecomponent and a lower component, with the cover and middle componentsdefining relatively upright side-walls, said cover component fitting onthe middle component to define an article receiving space therebetweenand with portions of the sidewalls of the upper component injuxtaposition to por-tions of the, sidewalls of the middle component,said lower component fitting to the bottom of the middle component withportions of the lower component in juxtaposition to said portions of themiddle component, the improvement comprising:

said portions of the middle component sidewalls having an offset thereinwhich defines socket conformations on a first side of said sidewallsthereof and projection conformations on the second side of saidsidewalls thereof, said portions of the cover component having firstmeans mating with the conformations in juxtaposition thereto toreleasably resist separation of the cover and middle components, saidportions of the lower component having second means mating with theconformations in juxtaposition thereto to releasably resist separationof the lower and middle components, the middle component being moldedplastic and at least two of the sidewalls thereof having an outward steptherein with the sidewall continuing below said step, said portionsbeing in the parts of the sidewalls below said step, said projectionconformations extending inwardly, said portions of the lower componentfitting below said step and above said projection conformations.

4. In a container as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lower componentis in the main a flat planar element.

5. In a container as set forth in claim 3, wherein the lower componentis molded plastic and includes an article receiving member and saidmeans thereon comprises conformations mating with said projectionconformations.

6. In a container as set forth in claim 3, wherein the cover componentis molded plastic and the sidewalls thereof that are in juxtaposition tosaid stepped sidewalls of the middle component having outward stepstherein immediately above the steps in the middle component with thecover sidewalls continuing below the steps therein, said first meanscomprising offsets defining inward projections in the sidewalls of thecover component mating with said socket conformations.

7. In a multi-part container including a cover component, a middlecomponent and a lower component, with the cover and middle componentsdefining relatively upright side-walls, said cover component fitting onthe middle component to define an article receiving space therebetweenand with portions of the sidewalls of the upper component injuxtaposition to portions of the sidewalls of the middle component, saidlower component fitting to the bottom of the middle component withportions of the lower component in juxtaposition to said portions of themiddle component, the improvement comprising:

said portions of the middle component sidewalls having an offset thereinwhich defines socket conformations on a first side of said sidewallsthereof and projection conformations on the second side of saidsidewalls thereof, said portions of the cover component having firstmeans mating with the conformations in juxtaposition thereto toreleasably resist separation of the cover and middle components, saidportions of the lower component having second means mating with theconformations in juxtaposition thereto to releasably resist separationof the lower and middle components-the lower component being moldedplastic and including an article receiving member and having generallyupright walls defining said portions of the lower component, said secondmeans comprising offsets in said upright walls of the lower componentdefining conformations mating with the conformationson the middlecomponent.

1. A container including: a cover component, a receptacle component, anda bottom component; said cover component including a face andperipherally dependent sidewalls around said face, said sidewalls havinginwardly extending snap means; the receptacle component having a firstarticle-receiving member with a bottom and an open top, said receptaclecomponent including a face from which said member depends and from whichperipheral outwardly tapering receptacle sidewalls depend, saidreceptacle sidewalls including a stepped portion having an outwardlyextending planar portion with downwardly and outwardly extendingsidewalls dependent therefrom, detent means in said sidewalls of saidreceptacle component for receiving, mating, and detaining said inwardlyextending snap means in the cover component, said detent means and saidsnap means, when mating, including inwardly reaching fingers extendinginwardly from the inner surface of said side-walls; the bottom componentextending between opposed sides of the sidewalls of the receptaclecomponent and engaging said inwardly reaching fingers.
 2. In amulti-part container including a cover component, a middle component anda lower component, with the cover and middle components definingrelatively upright side-walls, said cover component fitting on themiddle component to define an article receiving space therebetween andwith portions of the sidewalls of the upper component in juxtapositionto portions of the sidewalls of the middle component, said lowercomponent fitting to the bottom of the middle component with portions ofthe lower component in juxtaposition to said portions of the middlecomponent, the improvement comprising: said portions of the middlecomponent sidewalls having an offset therein which defines socketconformations on a first side of said sidewalls thereof and projectionconformations on the second side of said sidewalls thereof, saidportions of the cover component having first means in juxtaposition toand mating with one of the conformations to releasably resist separationof the cover and middle components, said portions of the lower componenthaving a second means in juxtaposition to and mating with the other ofthe conformations to releasably resist separation of the lower andmiddle components.
 3. In a multi-part container including a covercomponent, a middle component and a lower component, with the cover andmiddle components defining relatively upright side-walls, said covercomponent fitting on the middle component to define an article receivingspace therebetween and with portions of the sidewalls of the uppercomponent in juxtaposition to por-tions of the sidewalls of the middlecomponent, said lower component fitting to the bottom of the middlecomponent with portions of the lower component in juxtaposition to saidportions of the middle component, the improvement comprising: saidportions of the middle component sidewalls having an offset thereinwhich defines socket conformations on a first side of said sidewallsthereof and projection conformations on the second side of saidsidewalls thereof, said portions of the cover component having firstmeans mating with the conformations in juxtaposition thereto toreleasably resist separation of the cover and middle components, saidportions of the lower component having second means mating with theconformations in juxtaposition thereto to releasably resist separationof the lower and middle components, the middle component being moldedplastic and at least two of the sidewalls thereof having an outward steptherein with the sidewall continuing below said step, said portionsbeing in the parts of the sidewalls below said step, said projectionconformations extending inwardly, said portions of the lower componentfitting below said step and above said projection conformations.
 4. In acontainer as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lower component is inthe main a flat planar element.
 5. In a container as set forth in claim3, wherein the lower component is molded plastic and includes an articlereceiving member and said means thereon comprises conformations matingwith said projection conformations.
 6. In a container as set forth inclaim 3, wherein the cover component is molded plastic and the sidewallsthereof that are in juxtaposition to said stepped sidewalls of themiddle component having outward steps therein immediately above thesteps in the middle component with the cover sidewalls continuing belowthe steps therein, said first means comprising offsets defining inwardprojections in the sidewalls of the cover component mating with saidsocket conformations.
 7. In a multi-part container including a covercomponent, a middle component and a lower component, with the cover andmiddle components defining relatively upright side-walls, said covercomponent fitting on the middle component to define an article receivingspace therebetween and with portions of the sidewalls of the uppercomponent in juxtaposition to portions of the sidewalls of the middlecomponent, said lower component fitting to the bottom of the middlecomponent with portions of the lower component in juxtaposition to saidportions of the middle component, the improvement comprising: saidportions of the middle component sidewalls having an offset thereinwhich defines socket conformations on a first side of said sidewallsthereof and projection conformations on the second side of saidsidewalls thereof, said portions of the cover component having firstmeans mating with the conformations in juxtaposition thereto toreleasably resist separation of the cover and middle components, saidportions of the lower component having second means mating with theconformations in juxtaposition thereto to releasably resist separationof the lower and middle components, the lower component being moldedplastic and including an article receiving member and having generallyupright walls defining said portions of the lower component, said secondmeans comprising offsets in said upright walls of the lower componentdefining conformations mating with the conformations on the middlecomponent.